


The Baudelaire's Third Trip To Briny Beach

by VFDBaudelaireFile13



Category: A Series of Unfortunate Events (2004), A Series of Unfortunate Events (TV), A Series of Unfortunate Events - Lemony Snicket
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-28
Updated: 2019-06-28
Packaged: 2020-05-28 10:19:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,926
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19392103
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VFDBaudelaireFile13/pseuds/VFDBaudelaireFile13
Summary: The Baudelaire orphans find themselves once again on the sands of Briny Beach. This time with a sinister villain and a new ally. The Baudelaire orphans have to escape Count Olaf's evil grasp and figure out more secrets detailing into their parents' lives.Note: This takes place after the events of Chapter 14 but with a few changes to the events of The End.  I, obviously, do not own the characters in this story.





	The Baudelaire's Third Trip To Briny Beach

**Author's Note:**

> Hey, so this is my first public fanfiction and I am honestly really excited. I am going to try my best to update and write frequently. 
> 
> Also please note: there is like one scene where it is not necessarily implied but it's hinted at the suspicion that Violet may have had Olaf's child. Please note that that is NOT what is detailed in this story but it is a suspicion one character has for a few moments. So if that topic is a sensitive one for you, please tread carefully. 
> 
> Hope yall enjoy this! 
> 
> -Sue

I stopped my taxi and silently began to look around the desolate beach. I loved cloudy days. Cloudy days at Briny Beach always meant that one would have time and space by themselves, to reflect on recent life choices and plan out future endeavors. I glanced at the back seat through the rearview mirror frowning. There it was, on the driver’s side backseat was an unused and untouched booster seat.

How many days had I anticipated the arrival of a lost toddler, that I made sure to make accommodations for? How many more days will I be forced to stumble upon this beach whether it is desolate or not? Only time would tell. This investigation was giving me much of a migraine, and I was beginning to feel as though it was time to simply give up entirely.

I did wish I had more time to question that very odd, very secretive taxi man. I haven’t the faintest idea of how he knew of me...which is worrying but honestly, not uncommon in the organization.

_Ooh, how I hate that organization._

  
We were not volunteers, we were more like hypnotized zombies. We were victims of a cult. Well, at least that is the way that I see it. The strange and very secretive taxi man was still very loyal to the organization, although I could not for the life of me understand why. The organization had allowed him to be framed for a crime that he did not necessarily commit and now he had been living life on the lam.

  
The taximan swore up and down that he and I shared the same mentor when we were under her for our apprenticeship in Stain’d-by-the-Sea. Odd, she spoke only heavily about two former apprentices. The Snicket Lad, whom she informed me was dead due to complicated circumstances that actually somewhat tie into the entirety of this story, whom she had told time and time again to be Sensible. The other was a man that was her apprentice even before the Snicket Lad, unfortunately, I cannot seem to recall what his name was exactly, she rarely ever mentioned him by name...I think it began with a B? hmmm maybe an O? Who knows. The only thing I felt I knew about that specific apprentice is that he had named one of his children after her. I assumed him to be dead, too, because let’s be honest when you are in VFD you don’t live a long and glorious life. You usually live a sad, short one filled with so many misfortunes it is a true surprise that you don’t off yourself before your enemies have a chance.

  
Well, believe it or not, she had treated me similar to how she had treated the Snicket lad and she would just keep emphasizing how I should be Sensible.

 _Well, Theodora, I had finally taken your advice a few months ago_ , I came to my senses and secretly left VFD altogether.

Of course, I had not discussed these plans with anyone, not even my closest of colleagues. For after the schism broke out it was rare that you could trust anyone, and I do mean anyone.

Now I scour this beach all throughout the day and sometimes I even stay during some few hours into the night, hoping that their cruel cycle will bring them here for the third time. The other two times had been nearly a year apart from the very first time. I look down at the copy of _the Daily Punctilio,_ this particularly copy claimed that the “ Baudelaire murderers perished in the Hotel Denouement Fire.”

_Doubtful. So very doubtful._

You see, I know I don’t have to tell you why you could never believe anything you read from the Daily Punctilio. I knew that in fact, The Baudelaire orphans were not murderers, they were victims of both a cruel villain and an egotistical organization. Now, the only thing that startled me is that I was unsure, as was the taximan if the Baudelaires and even Count Olaf survived that horrendous fire. Every day I can’t find them makes me believe less and less.

But I cannot let my pessimistic views of the world cloud my judgment on this case. The Baudelaire children were very resourceful and impressively intelligent. They had survived more than any child should have ever had to go through, so I doubt a fire would have claimed their lives. They had survived everything Count Olaf had ever thrown their way, so I believed with my whole heart that they were out there somewhere in need of someone to help them, to shelter them, to protect them in this cruel, evil world.

I shuddered at the thought of him. Such a despicable man. _Oh, how I hope he’s dead._

That bastard was so horrendous, I could not for the life of me understand why he had to cause those three children so much grief. I guess maybe Olaf believed that the children shall pay for the sins of their mother and father. But hadn’t the fire been enough? I would think that claiming the lives of Beatrice and Bertrand Baudelaire should have been enough... _Nope_. As I slowly walked away from my car closer to the water, I begin to frown as I silently contemplate the Baudelaires’ sad, sad existence. The pure vile hardships that they had suffered due to a psychotic villain and that stupid organization.

Don’t get me wrong, VFD had once had the purest of intentions. But unfortunately, overtime VFD’s overall wickedly-noble intentions ended up hurting, destroying and in many cases, even ending so many lives. I will admit, I had once simply followed blindly like another one of their sheep. I will admit that. But not anymore. I could no longer sit back on the sidelines and do nothing to help any of these children. Those amazingly sweet Quagmire triplets, the Widdershins siblings whom I hear are desperately searching for their stepfather;

_hmm, maybe soon I can help them with that._

There was the young Spats girl, whom I had finally been able to rescue from the less than subtle grooming she was receiving from a faculty member who technically controlled her school.

But this case was probably my hardest. Finding the three missing Baudelaire children has not been easy. Those poor children. I vowed to find them, no matter what.  
I had never felt more desperate and defeated. I wanted a miracle. Hell, I _needed_ a miracle. There was something about being able to save children that made my day. It pains me to know that my organization, just sat back and waited for them to wound one of their enemies just to swarm in and still lose him.

An immense wall of fog was slowly, but effectively forming making it so very hard to see. I began quietly humming to myself as I tried to maneuver my way through the sickly thick fog. I frowned slightly as I continued to look around the beach and hum to myself, the fog had always kind of reminded me of smoke from a fire, although, obviously fog was inarguably better to have to deal with than smoke.

Hours had begun to pass by slowly as I walked across the beach looking at all the discarded materials either from beachgoers or by the waves of the ocean that would carry an item to the shore of Briny Beach just to leave it stuck in the sand. The fog hadn’t even attempted to clear up at all today and even when the sun began to set and I was about to throw myself into another fit of rage and denial that I have once again wasted precious hours on this beach unable to further my investigation into the tragic Baudelaire case, but I stopped dead in my tracks as I could faintly hear a young voice yell, “Land Ho!”.

I turned sharply to find the source of the voice. I notice a small boat and what looks as though three more passengers were all aboard. I stood very still, glancing around at the sand to see if anything around me could be used as a potential weapon. I smiled to myself when I found a metal baseball bat simply lying around.

“Land Ho!” the young voice yelled again. By the sound of it, I could tell that it was a voice that obviously belonged to a young child, most likely a girl.

Two of the shadowy figures put down their oars and sighed with relief. Their voices sounded warn and exhausted. The young woman stepped out of the boat and lifted a much smaller shadow to the ground while a young man who seemed to be holding something very small, very delicate started stepping out the boat, too.

The young woman looked at the young man, “It can’t be... there’s no way...” she said softly where I could barely hear her.

“Well, we always do end up here...unfortunately.” the young man replied as he glanced around.

A tall, dark-looking figure began to stand himself up, I noticed how the young man flinched as soon as this figure began to speak. “This doesn’t change a single thing, orphans. You children and your fortune _belong to me._ ” the figure announced getting too close to the young man for my comfort. As he stepped out of the tiny boat, I noticed that he had an eerily similar tattoo on his left ankle, as did I. I just looked incredulously at his ankle for a few seconds,

_If these figures are whom I think they are...how did a blasted volunteer reach them before I did? How the fuck did one of those cryptic assholes find them first._

My body filled with intense heat as my anger level rises. The whole point of finding them was to keep them far from the wicked hands of VFD, they have suffered enough. _It is time for these children to go back to being children! Goddammit!_

It wasn’t until I took a closer look at the tall figure that stood creepily behind them. He was tall and very skinny, his clothes were frayed and his pants legs were not even the correct length to cover his ankle. He had unkempt, ungroomed grey hair and when I began to study the face not only did I see his one eyebrow but my gaze stuck to his shiny, shiny eyes. Eyes that I am sure haunted the Baudelaires since their tragic series of unfortunate events began.

Now unlike his eyes that were so very shiny and full of what I assume to be pure bitter hatred and not happiness, the children's’ eyes were dull full of sadness, exhaustion, and a hint of fear. It struck my inner core that these three children had eyes like this.

The youngest Baudelaire seemed to have noticed me because she stopped dead in her tracks only a few yards from me. “We have company...” she mentioned to her siblings. The elder Baudelaires quickly looked at one another in relief.

Olaf leaned close to the youngest Baudelaire, “Do you think this changes anything?” he hissed at her and she retreated back a little.

The middle Baudelaire frowned at his sisters, “Do you think it’s Poe?”

“No. Poe doesn’t have that sort of figure.” the eldest chimed in.

“Feminine” whispered the youngest.

“If you three don’t want another murder on your hands, I would simply ignore her and come with me,” Olaf hissed and grabbed the orphan boy by his shoulders.

I couldn’t believe my eyes. The Baudelaire children were standing in front of me, alive...not well, but they were definitely alive. It broke my heart to see them like this. Violet’s hair was up in her classic ribbon, yes, but her hair was a mangled mess and her face looked as though she had been crying recently. She wore a white robe that was unsurprisingly filthy, I could see dirt, sand, and a hint of what I assumed to be blood. Sunny’s hair was also tied up in a ribbon but unlike her sister’s hair, Sunny’s hair was more well-kept but the youngest Baudelaire was not unscathed, along her small arms I could see imprints of fingers; long, devious fingers that must have held her arm rather tightly to restrain her. But their brother, Klaus, looked the worst of all three of them, not only was his hair a complete and utter mess but you could tell just by looking at him that his eye had been swollen from a black eye that seemed to be on the healing side, his glasses were also a bit crooked and barely kept on his face, his clothes were frayed and he could barely walk without limping like he had been through the wringer a couple of times.

Unfortunately, I was not far off from my initial prediction of what happened to poor Klaus Baudelaire. He and Olaf had many physical altercations, usually stemming from Olaf mistreating one of his sisters and Klaus going into a frenzy protecting them as the “Man of the House”.

The children’s condition made me want to instantly run up to them and hug them, but I couldn’t do that. I cannot allow myself to freak them out to where they don’t trust me. They have to trust me. I knew for sure now that their lives depended on it.

As I examined the Baudelaire children, my heart sank as I noticed now, what the middle Baudelaire held in his arms. I saw a young infant, who looked maybe a year old, give or take a few days. My stomach churned as my blood began to boil intensely. I stole a rather long glance at the young infant and then peered at both Violet Baudelaire and then at Count Olaf. I could not see any resemblance of the young infant and the young girl standing before me. I began to slowly calm down, but only slightly. I did still heavily ponder where a fourth Baudelaire orphan came from..., I glanced between the three for a good minute effectively deciding that based off looks that the infant that Klaus was holding was not his sister’s offspring. I had hoped that I was correct in this assumption, there had to be a better explanation as to why the three Baudelaire children and Count Olaf were in the company of an infant.

 _If this sick motherfucker..._ I began to think as my train of thought began to derail when I noticed that Olaf was trying to push the children away from me.

“Excuse me...” I called out only to be ignored by the three taller figures. Sunny, on the other hand, turned around to send me a small smile making sure to look me dead in the eyes, as I glimpsed into the eyes of this toddler, all I can read was the word: **_Help!_**

No! I was not going to let them leave, not when they were so close. I had found them. I was not going to let this bad man take them away.

“Excuse me!...” I called out again desperately trying to get one of the elder children to turn around. “ _Baudelaires!_ ”

This got the attention of the middle child. He slowly turned around.  
“How do you know us?”

“That doesn’t matter right now...please,” I yelled to him in the calmest voice I could muster. “I know you and I have never met, but if you come with me...I promise I can keep you safe”.

Olaf began to laugh as he turned around to grab Klaus by the arm. “ _No one_...can keep these children safe,” he hissed at me.

I ignored Olaf entirely. I didn’t have time for his nonsense. In all honesty, no one had time for his nonsense. He forcefully turned the middle Baudelaire child around and pushed him to continue with his sisters to walk away from me. I knew that I had to say something, anything, to get Olaf to stop dead in his tracks, that way I’d have time to think of an extraction plan.

I bit my lip, looking at how Klaus was limping and remembering Violet’s tear-stained face and Sunny’s dead eyes. I have to help them, even if that will put me in danger. “Baudelaires, I am from VFD, I am an old friend to some old friends of your parents.”

With the sheer mention of VFD, Olaf stopped dead in his tracks, his hands gripping the elder two Baudelaire children's’ shoulders tightly to where they both flinched. “So..., you are one of those pesky volunteers?” he asked me in his most threatening of tones.

I simply nodded. “I am here to take the Baudelaire children with me,”

“You and what army?”

“Just I,”

Olaf smirked at me, making my skin crawl. “What? You didn’t think it’d be in your best interest to bring along backup? Or have I killed all of your back up?”

“In all honesty, it doesn’t matter whether or not I have any backup, I am taking the Baudelaire children with me. All four of them.” I hiss at him, pointing toward the infant.  
Once again, this garnered a cruel laugh from Olaf. He pushed the two elder Baudelaire children in front of him, as some sort of a shield. He then menacingly put a hand on Violet’s shoulder and placed his other arm around Klaus’ shoulders. “If you know what’s good for these children and for you..., you would leave and forget all about the Baudelaire orphans,”

“He won’t kill us, he needs us alive to get our fortune,” Violet spoke with such a deadpan voice like she had become quite exhausted explaining this.

“I only need one of you alive, my sweet Violet,” he hissed as he placed her brother in a chokehold.

My stomach churned again as Violet flinched. _I swear to God if this damn motherfucker has even..._ I drop the notion, I don’t even want to think about that as an actual outcome.

“I am done playing these games, Olaf. Let go of those children,” I call to him calmly, I refuse to show this moron any fear. He is not going to get that satisfaction. I noticed as he gripped Violet closer to him, Sunny who was standing off to the side for a good minute now, had taken this opportunity with Olaf distracted to run in front of her brother and gestured him to hand her the infant. I could tell by his face that he did not entirely want to hand his toddler sister the young infant but at this moment, he knew it meant getting her out of danger so he quickly leaned down and handed Sunny the infant as Sunny hurriedly ran behind my legs. I could feel the youngest Baudelaire hugging my legs and I looked down at her and offered her a small, warm smile as I readjusted the young infant in her arms. “Here, hold her like this...and stay behind me, sweetheart. If she gets too heavy, let me know. Okay?” I stood back up as I watched Olaf strengthen his hold on Klaus.

When I had glanced back up towards the elder Baudelaires, I could see that Violet was beginning to cry. She looked as though she was giving up. After nearly two years of fighting this unhinged villain and trying to desperately figure out all of their parents’ secrets, I honestly wouldn’t blame her at this point to just want all of this insanity to end. Violet gave me a small frown and looked from myself to Olaf, “Let Klaus and Sunny go with her, I’ll stay with you so you can have the Baudelaire fortune,” and she began to break into a fit of sobs.

“Now, Violet...why in the world would I do that? Without them I wouldn’t have any leverage,” Olaf hissed as Klaus began to angrily struggle within the Count’s grip, Olaf strengthened his grasp on Klaus as he looked at me. “Now, handover the bucktoothed brat and that miserable little infant... _or I’ll kill the bookworm_ ”.

I looked down at the youngest Baudelaire who looked up at me hopelessly. I shook my head. “Sunny, stay right here. Nothing is going to happen to either one of your siblings, that’s a promise”.

“Are you pretty sure you can promise that?” Olaf asked.

“I am more than sure” I spat back. “Now let Violet and Klaus go”.

Olaf just smirked at me and began to bend down to retrieve something from his shoe, as he bent down he pulled the eldest Baudelaire with him as to not lose his hold on her, I could see from the glistening metal in his hand, that he was armed with a knife.

_Fucking lovely. This just got a tad bit harder but in a way, it got a smidge more fun._

“Now, I am being uncharacteristically kind as to giving you a chance to walk away and be spared. If you are really from that stupid organization, you should know that I am responsible for a long list of volunteers’ deaths. Push the saber-toothed baby-laire to me and get the fuck off of this beach!” he yelled as he looked between the elder two Baudelaires who were looking at each other with dark, sad eyes.

Before I could even think of what to do, I felt something cold hit the back of my leg. I quickly looked down to see the youngest Baudelaire pushing the metal baseball bat to me. She looked up at me with a broken smile. I knew what I had to do and unfortunately, she knew what I had to do.

“I’ll give you ‘til the count of three, how about that”

I ignore him and quickly exchange looks with both Violet and Klaus.

“One!” he said gripping the knife and pushing it closer to the middle Baudelaire’s neck

I kneel down to Sunny, “I need you to do me a favor, ‘kay kiddo. I’m gonna need you to sit down and turn that way,” I whisper to her pointing to the opposite direction of where her siblings and Olaf stood. She simply nodded and I took the young baby from her as she sat down facing away from what she assumed was going to be a really scary sight.

“Two!”

I place the young infant on Sunny’s lap and pick up the baseball bat, keeping it hidden behind my back. I was never really good at sports, but I hoped I wouldn’t miss. I had one shot, that’s it. Klaus Baudelaire’s life depended on it.

“ _Three!_ ” I heard Olaf yell but before he could move the knife closer to any Baudelaire child’s neck, I yelled _“Duck!”_ and I swung the metal baseball bat at full speed with all the force I could muster just as both Violet and Klaus ducked down.

**_SMACK!_** was all the three Baudelaires heard. The impact that the bat had on Olaf’s head sent him stumbling back a few steps and falling to the ground. Screaming and cursing in agony. Violet, who had closed her eyes, opened them to find that Olaf was now on the ground, he seemed to be bleeding. Klaus, who had also closed his eyes, rushed and picked up the knife, keeping it away from Olaf. He then ran to his younger sister and the infant looking them over and hugging them tightly. Before Violet had a chance to even move from where she was standing a cold hand grabbed her by her ankles.

“Do you really think I’m going to die that easily,” Olaf hissed as he dugs his nails into her leg, tightly grasping the eldest Baudelaire orphan. “ _The Baudelaire fortune and these god awful brats are mine!”_

“You have three seconds to let her go,” was the only response I gave to him.

His hair was now matted in his own blood, he was bleeding profusely from where I had struck him just moments ago. His adrenaline must have kicked in because he slowly began to stand back up using the eldest Baudelaire as support.

“Let’s compromise. I’ll keep this pretty young thing,” he spoke as he clutched both her shoulders now. “You can have those three, they are no use to me,”

Wrong choice of words on Olaf’s part because the second that sentence left his mouth, I swung again at Olaf this time aiming for one of his knee caps. I swung as hard as I physically could being helped by both my boiling anger and my churning stomach. The sound that the impact between the bat and his knee cap made sounded as though I may have shattered his knee cap. I shrugged and swung again, only this time aiming for the other kneecap with the same brute force; once again hearing the same exact sound. He lay on the ground, his head still bleeding, although the bleeding had begun to slow; he was also cussing, screaming, and even crying in agonizing pain as he held his knees with his hands. I stepped forward a few steps and put a gentle, loving hand on Violet’s shoulder. “You okay?” I asked. She just stared at me, unaware of how she should actually answer that question. Right now, at the moment, yes she was fine. She was more than fine. She felt like someone was finally saving her and her siblings. But, overall, she didn’t feel okay. She didn’t know if she would ever feel okay again. Which was understandable seeing what they had gone through. After she had given me a small smile, she stepped closer to her siblings and embraced them as I continued to walk over to Olaf.

“What kind of noble volunteer is going to kill a man who can’t defend himself” Olaf cried out in between his screams of agonizing pain.

I smirked as I looked down at him. “I’m an ex-volunteer,” I stated, “Meaning, _I don’t give a damn_ about VFD’s ideology.” I smiled down at him as I swung the bat on to one of his hands and I listened to the loud, unhinged screams that came after it. “You know, people, like certain situations they find themselves in, are like...chef’s salad” I drone on as I swung the bat and crushed his other hand. “a mixture of good and bad with a vinaigrette of confusion. Like...let’s say, killing you, for example. Most people would find the topic of murder...to be a rather wicked deed. But I’ve always thought that if I had to murder someone...and that person happened to be vile and wicked himself, then no harm, no foul”. I swung at his head again, producing more profanity screamed towards me.

Olaf at this point had stopped struggling altogether, keeping his energy for screaming and crying and cussing at me. I stood above him with such a deranged look on my face. Part of me knew that deep down what I was doing was on the grand scheme of things bad, but necessary. If I spared him, who’s to say he will never recover and find the Baudelaires. I was doing this for them. No matter what was to happen to me later, I had to do this for them.

I think Olaf began to see that his chance of survival was very slim because before I could swing again, he lifted his arm above his face to block the bat, _“Baudelaires! Please!”_ He called. I couldn’t believe my ears, was he really calling out to the Baudelaires to save him. Was he serious? I stopped to look from Olaf to the Baudelaires, who stood together with a look of utter confusion on their faces. Violet looked to her younger siblings who looked back at her. Violet didn’t say a thing, she just turned away from Olaf after one last glare. As she turned around, she turned Sunny around to keep her from witnessing the scene Violet knew in her heart was to happen next. Klaus, on the other hand, hesitated. Part of him wanted to watch, he wanted to see Olaf’s end...but he glanced down at the young infant in his hands...looked to me and slightly nodded his head as he turned around to face the same direction both his sisters were facing. I gave them a quick but small smile as I turned back to Olaf,

 _“Rot in Hell”_. I said to him in a deadpan voice as I began to swing and swing. Landing hit after hit, ignoring the screams and cries for help. Ignoring the blood that began to pour from his body especially from his skull. I swung and swung that bat until I no longer saw any movements from him at all. Until I couldn’t hear any more of his pathetic screams. I kept swinging until I could barely recognize that a human body was laying there before me. I threw the bat to the ground and turned to the Baudelaires. Who was still facing the other direction with Violet holding her hands over Sunny’s ears and Klaus doing the same to the young infant.

“I’m sorry that it had come to that...Baudelaires. I had no other choice,” I stated after a long minute of contemplation on whether I should just leave it at this or continue to talk to them.

“We know”. Violet called out.

“We don’t blame you” Klaus stated.

“Would’ve done the same,” Sunny ensured.

I frowned at the youngest Baudelaire but knelt down to her level before returning my gaze at the infant that was still in the middle Baudelaire’s hand. “Now that that’s taken care of, I believe I was uninformed about a fourth Baudelaire orphan,”

“Oh, this is Beatrice Baudelaire...” Violet began

“The second!” Sunny chimed.

“Yes, the second. We named her after our mother. She was Kit Snicket’s daughter,” Violet said.

“Kit...Snicket’s daughter?” I questioned. “Is Kit...dead”

The Baudelaires looked at one another and shared a long frown before Klaus simply nodded his head. I joined the Baudelaires in several moments of silence in remembrance of Kit. Only to have Violet interrupt turning to me and asking, “You mentioned you are no longer a VFD volunteer...does that mean you start fires now?”

“I admire your skepticism, Violet. But no, I am not a fire-starter. I am a VFD “agent” who has secretly quit VFD. I have been spending many days searching for the likes of you, the Quagmire triplets, and several other children to whom this organization has failed entirely” I say.

“Why?” Sunny asked.

“That’s the wrong question, my dear. But for you, I’ll answer it anyway. You see I am an old friend to some of your parents’ old friends, I, unfortunately, never had the opportunity to meet your parents but I did work under a woman who seemed to know your father” I stated as I pulled three photographs out of my jacket pocket. I handed each Baudelaire a photograph and watched their faces become bright.

“How did you...?” Klaus began.

“I stole those photographs. The woman whom I just mentioned had many sent to her from your father over the years, so I thought she wouldn’t mind if I had taken three to give to the children of her former apprentice.” I stated as the Baudelaires looked from me to the photographs. Each photo was different, the one Violet was staring at with teary eyes was of the day the youngest Baudelaire had been born. The photograph detailed her mother on the hospital bed holding a newborn Sunny with a younger Violet sitting on the side of the bed with a shorter Klaus standing by the other side of the bed with their father standing right behind him. All four Baudelaire family members had big smiles upon their faces as they welcomed Sunny into this world. Although Violet remembered it did take Klaus some time to get used to being the middle child and becoming accustomed to having not only an older sister but a younger sister now, too.

The photograph in Klaus’ hand had been a picture that the Baudelaire parents took of the family for Klaus’ 12th birthday. Klaus was seated in front of a big birthday cake with bowls of barely touched bread pudding in the background, beside him in her high chair was an infant Sunny who was staring at the cake with big eyes, like she was ready to eat the whole thing. Even if she preferred hard foods at that time, With Violet standing between her parents who had smiles on their faces although they felt bad about the awful bread pudding they had made special for their only son’s birthday. As Klaus wiped the tears from his eyes, he remembered that day like it was yesterday and so wished he could go back to that day and endure the awful taste of the bread pudding, one more time.

Sunny stared at her photograph with a long frown, the photograph she had been given was of her very first Hanukkah. She could see that the Baudelaire family had been centered behind the family’s Menorah which had a few candles lit. Mr. Baudelaire seems to be helping his two elder children light on the candles as Mrs. Baudelaire held the little infant Sunny in her arms. There were a few gifts in the background and a few baked goods and other foods that delighted Sunny as she stared at the picture. She, unfortunately, couldn’t fully remember that day but she had a feeling her older siblings might be able to and would tell her stories pertaining to that and the other photographs.

The Baudelaires passed around the three photos and shared small smiles.

“I...I would’ve stolen more had I felt like she wouldn’t start to notice,” I say quietly trying not to ruin their moment.

“No...this is...this is fine. This is amazing. Thank you...” Violet chimed cheerfully.

Klaus looked at his sisters and then at me, “Yes, thank you...for everything”, Klaus turned to Violet. “With Olaf gone..., we can go anywhere”.

Violet nodded but just stared at the ocean. The truth was she didn’t know where to go next. She knew her siblings and adoptive daughter were all counting on her and waiting for her to start walking in whichever direction she felt was the best, but she couldn’t move. There was so much still uncertain. Technically, they were still seen as murderers and arsonists the last time the Baudelaires had even been in the city. So she didn’t know what was safe. She started to regret leaving the island.

“Where to now?” Sunny finally asked breaking the silence and Violet’s concentration.

Violet stared long and hard at her sister before beginning to tear up. “I...I don’t know,”

“Maybe I can be of assistance,” I chime in looking at the three Baudelaires. “You can always come with me. My taxi is parked just right there. You can stay with me until you either come of age Violet or figure out what you want to do next,”

The Baudelaires stared at each other in confusion. “You are willing to simply take us in,” Klaus asked with skepticism.

“I know we don’t know each other but if you three are anything like another group of three orphaned siblings I recently helped than I don’t see a problem at all,”

“another group of...”

“Three orphaned siblings...?”

“The Quagmires!?”

I just nod my head. “Yes, they, too, were on my list of children to find after VFD had...failed in every fucking way possible”.

“Why do you want to help us?” Violet asked.

“Again, my child, that is the wrong question,” I replied, “But it had completely destroyed me to know that I was working for a cult that was pretending to be all noble when in reality, the organization was just as sinister as their enemies. Your parents had wanted you three to live life without VFD involvement...they wanted to protect you from the evils of this world. Unfortunately, those evils caught up to them and you, but not anymore. This time at Briny Beach your lives can change for the better, Baudelaires if you come with me. I will take you away from your troubles, from your misery. You can maybe even regain what’s left of your childhoods. If that’s what you want to do. I will not force you to get into my taxi. I will not force you to leave this beach with me. I will not force you to leave VFD in the past. You three aren’t simple children anymore. You should be allowed to make decisions that decide your fate”. I smile as I look from the eldest Baudelaire child to the middle Baudelaire to the youngest Baudelaire to the young infant. “Wouldn’t you want to be safe from VFD, so they can never hurt you again. So they can never hurt Beatrice”.

Violet looked to her siblings and then to Beatrice. “It is what Kit and Dewey wanted for their daughter. Remember Dewey said that he and Kit had plans to leave. That’s why he was going to give us his library,”

Klaus nodded and looked to his older sister, “It’s what Mother and Father would have wanted, too. That’s why they hid everything from us. But if we don’t continue on to VFD, we’ll never learn what we want to know about our parents”.

“You know, just because you won’t be in VFD does not necessarily mean that you can’t learn about it” I reassure him. “If you four come with me, I will tell you everything I can about VFD, Olaf, and your parents...you can still learn all their secrets while staying safe. But it’s ultimately up to you. I won’t be offended if you decide to go on your own. It was my pleasure taking care of Olaf for you, do not make this decision based on you think you owe me anything. Cause you don’t”.  
Violet looked to Klaus and Sunny who nodded their heads at her. Violet then turned to me smiling, “We will go with you”. She said simply as I smiled. Before I could process what happened next, I felt someone wrap their arms around my legs into a hug. I looked down and smiled at Sunny Baudelaire who looked up at me with a toothy grin. I looked at her siblings, who smiled back at me as I lifted the youngest Baudelaire on to my shoulders. “Hold on tight to me, I don’t want to drop you”. I say to Sunny as she nodded and held a tighter grasp. I hold out both of my hands for the two elder Baudelaires to take. Klaus, after adjusting Beatrice in one of his arms, took my hand and I looked to Violet, who was staring at Olaf’s dead body. She looked to her brother and sister before gently grabbing my hand and I began to walk the four Baudelaire orphans away from Briny Beach, away from Count Olaf, away from VFD and away from their sad, sad tale.

As we walked toward my taxi, I explained, “Now, I have a booster seat in the backseat for young Sunny and there’s a picnic basket on the floor on her side if you three are hungry. I hadn’t been informed about Kit Snicket’s daughter so I am afraid either Violet or Klaus will have to hold her securely until proper accommodations can be made. When we find a place to stop for a car seat, we can also get some baby food”

“We haven’t any money”, the middle Baudelaire stated.

“You haven’t any worry,” I reply back smiling as I helped the youngest Baudelaire off of my shoulders and into the booster seat in the back of my taxi. As Klaus took his seat in the back behind the passenger side chair, he noticed a long black book sitting in the seat between him and Sunny, as Klaus read the title he began to smile, _The Incomplete History Of Organizations_. The book the Baudelaires had wanted to read several times but never really have the chance. He passed Beatrice to Violet real quick as he checked over his younger sister’s seatbelt and then putting on his own. Violet handed him, Beatrice, back and closed his door for him. She smiled once more as she got into the passenger seat noticing the old copy of the Daily Punctilio that I had been rereading hours prior to their arrival. She rolled her eyes at the absurdity of the headline and folded the paper placing it back into the glove compartment.

As I started up the car, I looked at all four of my passengers. They were a tired, hurt looking bunch but so were the Quagmires. So was that Spats girl. I smiled to myself as I began to drive off away from Briny Beach for the last time knowing that tomorrow morning will be different, I will not be arriving here again in search of three children whom VFD had ultimately failed. “When you drive away in secret, You’ll finally be safe and sound,” I murmured more to myself than to my passengers.

After a minute, Klaus leaned forward. “I'm sorry, you never gave us your name,”

“The name’s Susan...” I reply, “and I am happy to have finally found you, Baudelaires”.

**Author's Note:**

> Please let me know what you think of this. Any and all constructive criticism is respected, wanted, and needed for my growth as a writer. Thank you again. I really hope yall liked that one. The next one should be out soon.


End file.
